If meals and/or lodging are included by the organization as part of the assignment of duty, are included with a conference fee, or are provided by any other means without additional charge to the traveler, they are therefore not reimbursable to the employee. If only lodging was provided, meal allowances based on location of lodging may still be claimed.
Travelers are allowed lodging and meals for weekends when it is necessary for them to be in travel status. An additional reimbursement over and above the per diems may be allowed in accordance with the traveler’s bargaining unit’s agreement if the traveler is 300 miles or more away from home and official station.
When an employee is in travel status over an extended period of time or makes frequent trips to a single location, lodging may be obtained at a non-traditional hotel or motel, such as an apartment, rooming house, bed and breakfast, or private residence. Documentation must be submitted justifying the value of the price paid.
Upon submission of a receipt, the employee may be reimbursed on a monthly basis for the lesser of:
- The monthly rental rate charged for the non-traditional lodging, or
- The receipted per diem amount for lodging in the out of town location, multiplied by the number of overnight stays at the non-traditional lodging during the month.
Note: Trip and/or liability insurance is not reimbursable.
